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The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, TD, today announced the commencement of 2015 payments under the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP).
The BDGP is a new and innovative measure introduced as part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme, from which close to 27,000 Irish suckler farmers will benefit over the next six years. It is a world first in terms of bringing genomic technology to beef farming and has the potential to transform beef breeding, reduce the carbon intensity of our beef production and in so doing help to drive on-farm profitability.
Minister Coveney said ‘I am particularly pleased that these initial payments, worth €28 million, will issue to 15,000 farmers who have verified their compliance with the 2015 requirements. He added ‘It is particularly important given the difficulties facing farmers at present that these payments are commencing in such a timely fashion to help with their income flow which, in turn, will assist the rural economy.”

It should be noted that BDGP payments will continue to issue on an ongoing basis as famers verify compliance with the 2015 scheme requirements of data notifications and genomic testing. The Minister indicated his determination to ensure that payments are maximised over the next few weeks and to this end he urged participating farmers “to return all surveys and genotyping samples as soon as possible to facilitate payment”.